INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division II Football Committee announced Sunday the field of 28 teams for the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship.
Twelve first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions. In addition, one team per super regional has earned a first-round bye. The first-round winners will all advance to the second round with games on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites. Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Seven teams selected per super regional make up the field of 28 teams.
DII FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Interactive bracket | Printable bracket
The first-round dates, sites and pairings are:
November 19 at Brookville, New York
Winston-Salem State (9-2) at LIU Post (11-0)
November 19 at Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Assumption (9-2) at Shepherd (10-0)
November 19 at Fairmont, West Virginia
Indiana (Pennsylvania) (9-1) at Fairmont State (10-1)
November 19 at Valdosta, Georgia
UNC Pembroke (9-1) at Valdosta State (8-2)
November 19 at Newberry, South Carolina
Tuskegee (8-2) at Newberry (10-1)
November 19 at Melbourne, Florida
North Greenville (7-4) at Florida Tech (8-2)
November 19 at Emporia, Kansas
Minnesota Duluth (10-1) at Emporia State (10-1)
November 19 at Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Azusa Pacific (9-2) at Sioux Falls (11-0)
November 19 at Searcy, Arkansas
Central Missouri (9-2) at Harding (11-0)
November 19 at Commerce, Texas
Colorado Mesa (9-2) at Texas A&M-Commerce (9-1)
November 19 at Big Rapids, Michigan
Midwestern State (8-2) at Ferris State. (9-2)
November 19 at Bolivar, Missouri
Colorado School of Mines (9-2) at Southwest Baptist (10-1)
The following institutions earned first-round byes in each super regional and will host a second-round game on November 26:
Super Regional One:
1. California (Pennsylvania) (10-0)
Super Regional Three:
1. Northwest Missouri State (11-0)
Super Regional Two:
1. North Alabama (8-1)
Super Regional Four:
1. Grand Valley State (11-0)
All contests shall start at noon local time. Other times may be established if approved by the committee.
Northwest Missouri State defeated Shepherd 34-7 in the 2015 national championship game to claim last year’s NCAA title.
The championship game will be played December 17 at 4 p.m. ET at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2/ESPN3.com.
